Zarma - Songhay culture:
Hippopotamus hunt
(part 2)
Baŋawi, Hippopotamus hunt, part 2
After the first
preparations, the final preparations for hunt or baŋawi
starts. The sorko
gather together on a small isle to
settle there difference first and to protect themselves with
magic power. Then they leave the isle, a flotilla of
dug-outs follows the great pirogue to look for
hippopotamuses. The small boats go into the marshes, where
the hippo's hide at high tide, to surprise the animals. They
manage to harpoon a big animal and to tie one of the
harpoons to the great pirogue. With the yaji, the
great spear, they try to hit the the
lower half of the
brainstem. It is a cruel fight for hours that is won by the
sorko. Due to internal quarrel, the group set out for
the next hunt not until April when the river is lower. The
hippo's have left the marches and hide in the deep trenches
in the middle of the river.
Background information
This video is part 2 of
Jean Rouch and
Roger Rosfelder film titled "Bataille
sur le Grand Fleuve" (literally Battle on the Big
River) made in 1952. The other parts can be viewed as well. The film was shot on a mission of the
French Institute of Black Africa (L'
Institute Français d'Afrique Noire) near Ayorou
in 1950-1951. The length of the original film is 33
minutes, the video shows the second part of 7:49 minutes.
|
Bataille sur le
Grand Fleuve (part 1 to 4) |
|
Baŋawi, part 1 |
Baŋawi, part 2 |
Baŋawi, part 3 |
Baŋawi, part 4 |